When should we visit in 2009?

[Caroline NZ]

Hi,
I am planning our first trip to Disneyland ( coming from New Zealand) in 2009. We are a family of 4 ( children are aged 6 & 4 ).
Our options for visiting are 2 weeks in mid May, 2 weeks in early June or 2 weeks
mid to late August.
I would love to hear anyones pros/cons and recommendations for visiting at the various times.
We don't like extreme heat but we want to be able to feel like we are having a summer holiday. Would love to see all the parades if possible ( will be buying delux APs so will be able to come and go over the 2 weeks we are there)
Many thanks for ready and any replies most appreciated

 

[imjen]

My personal pick would be the two weeks in May. Weather should be warm enough to swim but not really hot. Crowds will be light to moderate. With the length of time you'll be there, even if they aren't showing fireworks and Fantasmic daily you will easily be able to see them on Fri/Sat/Sun evenings. Early June will be a little warmer and a bit more crowded, plus you could be dealing with early closures for grad nights. August would definitely be out for me, given that it can be super hot then and very crowded.

 

[DangerMouse]

May would be best if you avoid Memorial Day weekend, followed by early June. Don't go in August -- way too hot and crowded.

 

[PoohBear1988]

hi! welcome to the dis!
i noticed you said you were going to buy deluxe ap's. did you know about the 14 day park hopper that is available to aussies and new zealander's? i'm going in jan and it cost me Aus$257 i think (and its not that much more than a 5 day pass) whereas its US$269 for a deluxe ap, you do get 10% off dining, but for all those options you gave, the saturdays are blockout days, so thats also something you would need to consider!
we are also staying 2 weeks, so that we can come and go as we please, do things during the day and just spend a couple of hours at the park in the afternoon or evening, without having to stress about 'wasting' days or trying to fit everything into a couple of full days (and when we are travelling that far, i dont want to rush - i want to take my time and really enjoy it!)

http://www.disney.com.au/disneyland/disneyland_resort.html#

this is the link to the site which explains the 14 day pass and you can order a free holiday planning dvd.

happy planning!

 

[dr&momto2boys]

May!

 

[Caroline NZ]

Many thanks for the replies. My concern with May is I went back and read some trip reports and someone had said they had really cold weather( jeans and jackets required).
Danielle, many thanks for the 14 day vacation pass & DVD info. I have ordered the DVD this morning. Where do you order the 14 day pass from and does it have the added bonus of early entry?

 

[bumbershoot]

We started our trip on the Monday of Memorial Day this year (the Monday is the weekday that people get off here for that weekend), and it was lovely. The crowds I heard were there for Sat and Sun were not there, the weather was good, it was great!

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

We plan on going in May. I like the idea of mild temps, and going before all the schools are out!

 

[mystic_path]

Well a friend of mine went in April of this year and she was wearing shorts and tanks during the day and jeans and a jacket in the evening. She even got some pool time in. So May should be very decent. I am going in May as well and so I am too hoping the same as you for next year. I heard there is May Gray which is over cast in the morning that burns off by noon and gets beautiful. Its like June Gloom, but in May.

 

[lisa_mae]

I would choose either may or august. May is mostly cool in the moring but warms up in the afternoon, in early june theres june gloom so can be cooler in the moring but pretty hot by afternoon and really crowded because school is still out, august is still hot but not as crowded. i have a socal annual passport and more days are blocked out in june then in august so that makes me think they get more people there in june then in august making it less crowded.

 

[mystic_path]

i have a socal annual passport and more days are blocked out in june then in august so that makes me think they get more people there in june then in august making it less crowded.

Actually that makes total sense. Ive always wondered why its still quite busy early June. Thats a very good possiblity.

 

[PoohBear1988]

Danielle, many thanks for the 14 day vacation pass & DVD info. I have ordered the DVD this morning. Where do you order the 14 day pass from and does it have the added bonus of early entry?

Your welcome! I got my 14 day pass through my travel agent, which i booked my whole holiday through. It was in the brochures that i got from Flightcentre and Harvey World Travel etc. It comes with one Magic Morning.

 

[bonita_babe232]

Lisa Mae i LOVE your cakes they are super cute!!!! if i lived closer i would so buy one!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[lisa_mae]

Lisa Mae i LOVE your cakes they are super cute!!!! if i lived closer i would so buy one!!!!!!!!!!!

thank you

 

[SarahDISer]

Hi Caroline.

We went at the end of June this year missing the last week of term and arriving home half way through the school holidays.

For us, the weather was absolutely perfect. We never felt too hot (it felt like christmas) but we were warm enough to wear nothing other than shorts and t-shirts. I put on a sweatshirt one evening while waiting in the dark to watch Fantasmic but everyone else was fine in their t-shirts. OK I'll be honest - I was looking for an excuse to buy that cute pink hoodie which I have lived in since I got home.

This winter was so cold and it seemed to never stop raining. I never would have survived without that two week break in sunny California.

Hoping to win the lotto this saturday so that we can go back 2009

BTW we bought 5-day park hoppers which we extended to 8 days once we were there. It only cost $10 US per person per extra day

 

[Caroline NZ]

Hi Sarah, Yes $20M would buy a few trips to Disneyland!
The price for extending your tickets sound good. I hadn't heard of that option before.